


A Plot

by aurilly



Category: Lost
Genre: F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Matchmaking, Oceanic Six
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-01-20
Updated: 2010-01-20
Packaged: 2017-10-07 09:09:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 946
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/63598
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aurilly/pseuds/aurilly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Penny makes a suggestion.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Plot

It was actually Penny's idea. Or maybe a joint idea she'd cooked up with Desmond. Who knew? Kate had spent her time on _The Searcher_ too traumatized, too confused, and too preoccupied by two thoughts (_keep Aaron… avoid prison... keep Aaron... avoid prison_) to imagine a motive behind Penny's proposal: namely, that in order to bolster her own PR, Kate should pretend to have formed an attachment to one of the men in the group. There was a pause, punctuated only by a grunt from Frank. Jack inhaled, about to respond, take charge, claim her. But Penny was quicker on the draw.

"Imagine how much everyone would swoon at the idea of the valiant pregnant woman and the heroic Iraqi finding love on the island."

"Sayid?" Kate choked, not in disgust, nor even in very much surprise, she suddenly realized. Just... amusement.

"Yes, of course, Sayid," Penny replied smoothly.

Sayid raised an eyebrow, mirroring Kate's own simultaneous lack of surprise and disgust. He simply looked bemused, for the first time in months. Kate had forgotten how... _cute_ he could look.

"Unless you're opposed, Sayid?" Penny pressed, disarmingly.

"No, not at all. I have no plans for our return. I am happy to do whatever will help Kate."

It was a split-second decision, but Kate felt oddly comfortable, holding Aaron in her arms, as she said, "Yeah. That's a good idea."

"Dude," Hurley breathed.

"You don't have to do this, Kate," Jack finally had a chance to begin. "Neither do you, Sayid."

"No one needs to do anything, but Penny is right. Anything that embellishes our story will help keep us safe. Together we are stronger, and what better way to make sure we stay together than to help Kate's case?" Sayid reasoned.

Jack was about to continue arguing, but was interrupted by Kate bursting into a fit of giggles. She didn't understand why, but for the first time in longer than she could remember, she was choking on uncontrollable peals of laughter. And a minute later, for the first time in even longer, so was Sayid.

No matter how nice she was, Penny was definitely her father's child.

******************************

It all just sort of _happened_. Questions, Hawaii... Sayid played along. Not that Kate had expected him to break his word, but she hadn't expected him to throw himself into the role with such understated vigor, either. The next thing she knew, he was telling reporters how he'd first gotten to know Kate during their initial exploration of the island, and how he'd kissed her hand for the first time before going off on a solo hike. It was all factually true---truer than 90% of everything else they were telling people---but Kate couldn't help but stare at him open-mouthed as he said it. She didn't think he'd remembered those things, like the color of her shirt or the way the waves had whipped her hair before he'd left to find Rousseau. She didn't realize _she_ remembered them, either, but as soon as he mentioned them, it all came rushing back.

The reporters mistook her confusion for loving bashfulness.

******************************

Penny, long gone, was right. Everyone loved the sexy couple, the unconventional little family. Kate's confusion persisted, as did Sayid's wry little smile. Oceanic paid Kate's bail, and now it was just the long wait to see if her lawyers could get her out of a trial. She rented a house. They didn't discuss it, but it was understood that Sayid would move in with her and Aaron.

They got along, which yet again, wasn't really a surprise, given that as the occupants of neighboring tents, you could say they'd already practiced living together. He'd always been the easiest companion on the island, and life with Sayid in the real world was no different. He was the perfect roommate, fictional romance or not. He was quiet but friendly, neat but not a freak, serious but never grumpy, always there when she wanted company but always absent when she needed alone time. He left all the baby stuff to her; that's what she wanted, anyway.

Sayid could go anywhere, do anything. He was free. Unlike her, he could run. And yet he stayed with her in a farce that as time wore on, fewer people would be watching. Kate couldn't figure out why.

As the days went by, she found herself not wanting to ask, lest she put the idea in his head to leave.

******************************

The dreams started a couple of weeks after their return. Horrible visions of Claire and Michael and Eko, of all people. Kate had never before lived in a house this big. All the perfectly innocent creaks and groans sounded sinister in the night, worsening her already terrible sleeping habits.

One night, Kate couldn't take it anymore. She crept along the hallway, stopping quickly to peek in on the soundly slumbering baby, before continuing on to Sayid's room. She didn't know what she was planning or why she was going. More than likely, his killer instincts would bristle at her approach and he'd do something dangerous in his sleep. Kate could handle it, though. She'd always been the only one who could.

She had one knee on the bed when she heard him inhale. "Kate?"

"Couldn't sleep," she whispered.

"Come," he said, and immediately pulled her tightly beside him, spooning her in the most comfortable and comforting position she'd ever known. For the first time in years, Kate felt safe. Sayid breathed into the back of her neck, and in that moment she realized that she knew exactly what she was doing there.

"Don't leave," she heard herself pleading.

"I won't."

******************************

Penny was a genius.


End file.
